Chat Transcript
CBS SportsLine.com

West is his teams leading scorer (17.9), rebounder (11.3 and forth in the country) and assist man (47). (Allsport)

West has been the 'x' factor for the Musketeers this year. The sophomore is his teams leading scorer (17.7), rebounder (11 and forth in the country) and has 55 assists. He is shooting over 50-percent and has 54 blocks and 35 steals.

David West: Hello! Nice to be here. I look forward to your questions.

Question: musketman: How did you end up at Xavier? Will you be returning next season?

David West: Coach Battle saw me play in an AAU tournament when I was in prep school. Then Coach Prosser saw me play once and gave me a scholarship. I liked the school and I liked Cincinnati so I came. Oh yes, I will be back.

Question: bigpostman: What is the most important thing coach Prosser has taught you?

David West: Probably to always get better. Never settle for being the same. Continually want to get better.

Question: bigpostman: Wow. 26 points, 21 rebounds and six blocks... what do you have left to work on?

David West: Defense! I have to get much better on defense.

Question: socalmuski: How's the chemistry on the team compared to last year?

David West: I would say that this year, the team.. well there is no alternative motives or whatever. Everyone is on the same page. We were disappointed that we didn't get in the NCAA tournament last year. This year we are focused on getting there this year.

Question: atl10fan: How disappointed will the team be if they end up in the NIT instead of the NCAA despite a possible 22 wins?

David West: I think we would be hurt. We put ourselves in a good position to be in. We aren't going to worry about that. We are just going to keep trying to win basketball games.

Question: hog90: Who has been your toughest opponent this year?

David West: I would say the toughest team we had to play against has probably been.. oh.. I want to say Wisconsin. They played such good team defense.

Question: muskyteer: Not that you're looking past ANYONE, but what team do you think could be the most dangerous to face in the post-season tournament?

David West: There are a couple. Dayton is definitely one. Fordham is another one. Temple, definitely.

Question: gumpster: Who's the toughest player to go against in the conference? Why?

David West: Wow. Good question. There are a couple. The ones that come to mind. Kit Rhymer at UMass. His size and strength. Kevin Lyde at Temple, same reason. Duke Freeman-McKamey at Fordham. He's 6'9 and deceptive with his strength.

Question: socalmuski: From watching the LaSalle game Sunday, you should be able to hang with anyone in the country. What caused you guys to come out with noticeably more fire?

David West: Probably because before I got here, 2 years ago, Coach reminded the guys on team that those guys lost there and it may have made them miss the tournament. So we weren't going to let them spoil it. So we came out hard to get that game.

Question: marty3: Who's the "Leader" among the players on the team?

David West: It's Maurice without a doubt. He's played more games than anyone else and he is outspoken. Definitely.

Question: julied: Who is your best buddy on the team?

David West: Lionel Chalmers. We hang out together all the time.

Question: xuxuxu: What's the biggest adjustment you have to make coming into Div-1 hoops?

David West: Probably my work ethic. You have to work hard and practice hard if you want to get better and be a better player at this level. You can't go easy if you want to improve.

Question: xdawg3: Is there anything that would persuade you to leave early?

David West: I don't think so.

Question: musketman: What does it take to be a successful rebounder? You're 4th in the nation overall, you must have the secret!

David West: I don't know! I'm not the best jumper in the world. You just have to see where the ball is going to come off. Go after every single rebound and don't leave it up to your teammates to do it.

Question: muskyteer: Do you think that the A-10 gets the respect it deserves on a national level?

David West: I don't think so. I have only been here 2 years. If it isn't Temple, we are overlooked. They have a tradition and the rest of us don't seem to get a fair shot.

Question: xufan12: St. Joe's have surprised a lot of people around the country, did they surprise you?

David West: I don't think so. We knew they were good. They were pretty good last year and they have good players. They have surprised people with how good they are NOW. People didn't think much because the won the early games and now they are surprised. They are a good team from top to bottom.

Question: bigpostman: You guys are 1-1 with St. Joe's and there is a good chance you will meet for the A-10 title. How well do the two teams match up?

David West: I think we match up well. We both have good guards up front. It is a matter of what Coach says.. Whoever lands the first punch. We jumped on them here and they got us there. So whoever lands that first punch.

Question: xufan: What is the key to a victory against Dayton this week?

David West: We have to try to stop Tony Stanley. He is one of the better players and the heart of the team.

Question: xufan12: Would you guys rather end the season at home? How hard is it to play your final two games on the road?

David West: We would definitely like to end the season at home. We have a new facility and it feels better at home. We don't usually mind but playing at Dayton is tough. We'd rather end it at Joe's if we had to. But this is something we have to do!

Question: whipnpost: What players do you really respect in the game, both college and NBA?

David West: In college? One would be Tony Stanley. I think his Mom died earlier in the year and he is still playing. In the NBA. Tim Duncan, David Robinson -- those guys are two of my favorites. Stand up guys, nothing flashy, just hard workers.

Question: xdawg3: What will you have to do that will help your game the most this summer?

David West: Definitely work on my ball skills. Having the ball in my hand, scoring facing the basket more than I do now.

Question: stymie: What has been the most exciting or best game you've been involved with for Xavier?

David West: Last year's Cincinnati game when they were #1.

Question: socalmuski: Is Skip tough to play for?

David West: Not really! It is tough if you don't work hard. He is a stickler for that. You don't have to be the best athlete or anything but he doesn't like guys who won't work hard.

Question: wildman34: Who has really stepped up on the team that has maybe surprised you?

David West: In the past few games David Young has played well. He has been down on himself but in the last few games he has stepped it up.

Question: tweeter: Do you think the emphasis by the refs on cutting down on the physical play had any real impact this year... from a player's perspective?

David West: I think so. There are a lot more fouls being call than there were last year. They are trying to change the game a bit to make it more exciting for the fans, I think.

Question: xdawg3: What rank do you think your team should be right now?

David West: I don't know. I think we're not worried about that. We're just playing one game at a time. The ranking doesn't matter to us.

Question: julied: Are you going to play in the Cincinnati summer league this year?

David West: More than likely!

Question: muskiefan: D-West, after the argument with Lionel on the court during the Princeton game, what has it taken from you personally to make the team more of the family that you appear to be now?

David West: I think that situation was a heat of the moment thing. I was in the wrong for that. After that we became closer. Up to that game we had won our first four but we weren't all on the same page. The Princeton game showed that. After that we settled down and played more as a team. We tightened up.

Question: bellamy: What was the important advice you received in your career and who did it come from?

David West: I don't know! Hahaha! It is hard to think of just one thing that sticks out. I have had a lot of great influences in my life. I can't think of just one thing. Influences like my older brother, my parents.. things they said over and over. But I can't pick just one.

David West: Thanks for coming. I hope I answered your questions. Hey 21 West.. Call me! Bye everyone!